Our Boys, the Personal Experience of a Soldier in the Army of the Potomac (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1864. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER VI. A FIGHTING DAT. After a long season of peace and quiet, a season of something neither peaceful nor quiet is apt to come. There is no surer sign of a storm than a long-continued calm; and when, after a calm of long duration, the storm does come, it is sure to be one of considerable magnitude. For a long time we had not had a single civil fight. What I mean by "civil fight," is, a fight among ourselves, entirely to ourselves--in our own company. We had been at perfect peace ever since the fight of Corporal Chair and John G. Graham, which occurred in Camp Wilkins. As misfortunes never come singly, neither are fights apt to; and they did not come singly on the occasion of which I am about to speak. When two men do not like each other, that is, when there is a feeling of animosity existing between them, it is truly astonishing how trifling a circumstance will lead to a "coming together." Now, there was a feud existing between Sergeant Cue and Sergeant Zee, of our company. I know not from what cause the bitter feeling arosj, unless from envy; but I do know that just the smallest matter in the world was sufficient to lead to a row between them, notwithstanding that they were non-commissioned officers; and it is highly improper for officers, either commissioned or non-commissioned, so far to forget their dignity as to indulge in a vulgar knock-down. But on this occasion, dignity, position, and all else were forgotten--all save hate. But I will proceed in due form to relate the incident. It was near noon. Groups were collected here and there in the company street, engaged in discussing the probability of the war's being over by Christmas. Sergeant Cue accidentally dropped his cap; it fell in the dust, and the blue cloth was slightly, but not permanently soile...